The Supreme Court took an appeal from the state of New Hampshire seeking to reinstate a law requiring parental notification before minors can get an abortion. A federal appeals court struck down the law as unconstitutional.  In a 9-0 decision issued by the high court, the Justices said the appeals court went too far in rejecting the law in its entirety.  While the high court ordered the lower court to reconsider the case, the decision - while narrow in scope - acknowledged that parents have a critical role to play in the upbringing of their children.  The decision also made it clear that laws like the one in New Hampshire can survive a constitutional challenge.  The ACLJ filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the Supreme Court in this case in support of the New Hampshire law.

The case is Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood (04-1144).  The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case on November 30, 2005 and issued its decision on January 18, 2006.